I have eaten so many tomatoes lately. Many of you are probably not surprised as you have been waiting for the plump, sweet, juicy summer tomatoes all year and are also feasting. However, this is a very unusual situation for me.
I grew up with fresh, homegrown tomatoes from my parents’ and grandparents’ gardens every summer and can still hear my grandfather say, “I love to pop those cherry tomatoes in my mouth right off the vine. The bigger ones I slice, sprinkle with salt and devour!” I also recall my aunt saying that she used to like to eat ripe summer tomatoes just like an apple – no adornment necessary!
But, strangely enough, I never ate one myself. At the sophisticated age of 33 (or so I have been told I can call myself sophisticated now that I’m over 30), I have recently started eating fresh tomatoes. Huh!? How can that be? Have I been living under a rock? Am I being serious? Yes, I’m afraid I am. Of course, I have always eaten tomatoes cooked in a sauce or on pizza, but never raw. Science says that tastebuds change over time and I think they’re right because now I can’t get my hands off those red, ripe tomatoes (watch out Big Hungry Bear!).
It all started last summer, when I bought the heirloom tomatoes from the Farmers Market and fell in love. They were sweet with the perfect amount of flesh to seed ratio. After that, I started to feel ashamed of my past opinion of tomatoes. On the other hand, can you really blame me for not wanting to eat the pale orange tomatoes that are found in virtually all supermarkets and house salads – with stiff outer skin and tasteless, mushy middle?
This year, fresh tomatoes have become a staple of my diet. I have eaten them in many different configurations, but mostly with a little salt and pepper, basil, olive oil and sometimes balsamic vinegar. I swear I’ve had at least 69 tomatoes this summer. Here are some pictures to prove it!
Ladies and Gentlemen, tomatoes with pasta and olives.
And one of my favorites…gazpacho!
Even if you’ve never cared for raw tomatoes, or never gave them a second thought, these are not to be missed!
Jennifer Sanders, HTFMA